ProgressiveU.org – By truelife90
I was known as the quiet tomboy in my class since elementary school. I didn’t know English, but I understood what Tomboy meant. I dressed like a boy, my hair was short, I liked to play sports with the boys, and I was addicted to games. What hurt me the most was that people assumed I was a lesbian, a transvestite…or an alien.
I used to go to a private school in Thailand. We always had to wear our uniforms, which included skirts for girls. I hated it. I hated the feeling of being vulnerable because I felt someone can just easily lift my skirt up. I was lucky enough that the kids I played with never said it to my face. Surprisingly, the adults were the ones who started the name calling.
When I moved to America, I was happy to go to a public school. I didn’t have to wear uniforms. I didn’t have to wear skirts. I started buying boys’ clothes. Whenever my mom took me to Wal-Mart (yes, I buy stuff from Wal-Mart), I would go straight to the guys’ sections. Loose shirts and baggy jeans were my style. Sports were my passion. Guys were more comfortable with me and I was more comfortable with them. I was lonely though because guys wouldn’t actually talk to me. We just played together.